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Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Bruneau Hot Springsnail (Pyrgulopsis bruneauensis) for Review and Comment

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

 

[Federal Register: January 9, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 6)]
[Notices]
[Page 1688-1689]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09ja01-85]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Bruneau Hot
Springsnail (Pyrgulopsis bruneauensis) for Review and Comment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the
availability for public review of a draft recovery plan for the Bruneau
hot springsnail (Pyrgulopsis bruneauensis). This endangered snail is
native to thermal springs habitats along a 6.9-kilometer (4.3-mile)
reach of the Bruneau River and its tributary Hot Creek in southwestern
Idaho.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan received by March 12, 2001
will be considered by the Service.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft recovery plan are available for
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the
following location: Snake River Basin Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, 1387 S. Vinnell Way, Suite 368, Boise, Idaho 83709 (phone:
208/378-5243). Requests for copies of the draft recovery plan and
written comments and materials regarding this plan should be addressed
to Robert Ruesink, Field Supervisor, at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeri Wood, Fish and Wildlife
Biologist, at the above address.

SUPPLEMENTATARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Restoring endangered or threatened animals and plants to the point
where they are again secure, self-sustaining members of their
ecosystems is a

[[Page 1689]]

primary goal of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's endangered species
program. To help guide the recovery effort, we are working to prepare
recovery plans for most of the listed species native to the United
States. Recovery plans describe actions considered necessary for the
conservation of the species, establish criteria for downlisting or
delisting listed species, and estimate time and cost for implementing
the recovery measures needed.
    The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act) (16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.), requires the development of recovery plans for listed
species unless such a plan would not promote the conservation of a
particular species. Section 4(f) of the Act requires that public notice
and an opportunity for public review and comment be provided during
recovery plan development. We will consider all information presented
during the public comment period prior to approval of each new or
revised recovery plan. Substantive technical comments will result in
changes to the plans. Substantive comments regarding recovery plan
implementation may not necessarily result in changes to the recovery
plans, but will be forwarded to the appropriate Federal Agency or other
entities so that they can take these comments into account during the
course of implementing recovery actions.
    The Bruneau hot springsnail (Pyrgulopsis bruneauensis) is listed as
endangered. The species currently survives in approximately 89, out of
155, small, flowing geothermal springs and seeps along an approximately
6.9-kilometer (4.3-mile) reach of the Bruneau River and its tributary
Hot Creek in southwestern Idaho. The species is found in a narrow
elevation range of 803.7 to 815.7 meters (2,636.9 to 2,676.1 feet).
    The Bruneau hot springsnail has been found in flowing geothermal
springs and seeps with temperatures ranging from 15.7 to 36.9 degrees
Celsius (60.3 to 98.4 degrees Fahrenheit), with the highest densities
of springsnails noted at temperatures ranging from 22.8 to 36.6 degrees
Celsius (73 to 98 degrees Fahrenheit). Bruneau hot springsnails are
found in these habitats on the exposed surfaces of various substrates,
including rocks, gravel, sand, mud, and algal film. The principal
threat to this species is the reduction or elimination of its
geothermal spring habitats as a result of agricultural-related
groundwater withdrawal and pumping.
    The objective of this plan is to provide a framework for the
recovery of the Bruneau hot springsnail so that protection by the
Endangered Species Act is no longer necessary. Recovery is contingent
upon conserving and increasing geothermal spring habitats within the
recovery area for the Bruneau hot springsnail, while acknowledging that
geothermal groundwater can continue to be managed to fulfill other
beneficial uses.
    The Bruneau hot springsnail will be considered for downlisting to a
threatened status when groundwater management activities have been
implemented and monitoring indicates an increasing trend in water
levels in the geothermal aquifer and occupied geothermal springs for a
period of 10 years. Delisting of the species will be considered when:
(1) Water levels in the geothermal aquifer have increased and
stabilized at 816.96 meters (2,678.54 feet) in elevation (as measured
in October at one of the Hot Creek water monitoring wells (USGS well
number 03BDC1)); (2) the total number of geothermal springs discharging
within the recovery area is 200 or more (this is equivalent to the 1991
level of 211 geothermal springs), distributed within the current range
of the Bruneau hot springsnail; (3) more than two-thirds of available
geothermal springs within the recovery area (approximately 131 springs)
are occupied by stable, medium to high density populations of the
Bruneau hot springsnail; and (4) groundwater levels are permanently
protected against further reductions through implementation of
groundwater management activities.

Public Comments Solicited

    We solicit written comments on the recovery plan described. All
comments received by the date specified above will be considered prior
to approval of this plan.

Authority

    The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533 (f).

    Dated: January 3, 2001.
Anne Badgley,
Regional Director, Region 1, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 01-505 Filed 1-8-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P

 
 

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